A theatrical collage on missed connections, hysteria and mortality.
Jollification | Mortification invites characters from previous New Stage productions to join in a playful night that continues the provocative, expansive conversation on modernity, mortality, morality and the self that New Stage has established with its audience over the past ten years. Taking a tragicomic perspective on what it means to be true to the self, and what the consequences of such honesty can be, the show examines the feelings of shame, doubt, and exhilaration that come with running afoul of norms and expectations.

Illustration and Poster designed by Isabelle Duverger (original idea by Ildiko Nemeth and Fabiyan Pemble-Belkin)

Jollification | Mortification is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York
City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City
Council.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

February 24 at 6pm CPR - Center for Performance Research 361 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn Tickets: $10 in advance or at the door

Conceived and directed by Maria Litvan

Performed by Catherine Correa and Francisco Reyes Music Design by Nana Simopoulos Drawing by Isabelle Duverger Video projections by Laia Cabrera & Co.

Prologue is a tribute to French philosopher, mystic, and social
activist Simone Weil (1909- 1943). Simone Weil, described by Albert
Camus as “the only great spirit of our times” and by Susan Sontag as
“one of the most uncompromising and troubling witnesses to the modern
travail of the spirit.” Weil had an extraordinary capacity to dwell
within highly philosophical and metaphysical thought, while still
emphasizing the importance of embodied experience. She realized that in
order to theorize about the working-class, one had to experience their
reality firsthand. Thus, despite her poor health conditions, she left
her teaching position to work in a factory. Weil’s passionate nature
also drove her to participate in many of the political affairs of her
time. She confronted Trotsky, fought in the Spanish Civil war,
participated in the French Resistance… But, even more unusual for a
leftist intellectual of her time, Weil’s interests increasingly focused
on religion and mysticism.

Most of Simone Weil’s writings are
annotations of thoughts following her own mental associations, thus
reading them is like entering directly into Weil’s stream of
consciousness. Inspired by her writings, Prologue is a composition of
moments – snapshots into Weil’s life and thought. It is an invitation to
enter her world from a personal and sensorial experience.
Simultaneously, as an actor prepares to interpret Simone Weil, Prologue
reflects on the mystical and artistic processes, and the important role
of the invisible in the construction of meaning.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The videos we created at Laia Cabrera and Co. for New York eHealth Collaborative are now award winners! We won AVA Digital Awards for "How the SHIN-NY Makes Life Better" and "Why We Do This Work - Alie Cohen's Story", see below!Laia Cabrera and Co. is a film and multimedia company co-founded by director Laia Cabrera and animator Isabelle Duverger, producing a wide range of multimedia projects. Our work involves creating original concepts and innovative content, including:
Films - Documentary - Commercials
Video Design - Projection Mapping*
Video Art -Theater Projections
Animation - Motion Graphics
Installations - Live Video Performances
Graphic/Web Design - Illustration
Music - Sound Design*into the fields of theatre, dance, fashion shows, concerts and other live events as well as pop-up stores.